The present invention relates to a magnetic head mechanism in a magnetic tape apparatus that is capable of multiple track, two-way recording and playback.
Multiple track, two-way recording and playback is typically performed with a magnetic tape apparatus such as a backup tape recorder on a magnetic disk apparatus. With a view to performing multiple track recording with conventional magnetic tape apparatus, U.S. Pat. No. 4,389,689 proposes the use of multichannel magnetic heads fixedly connected with a mounting plate, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,491,890 proposes that the number of channels on a magnetic head be reduced by adapting it to be movable in the direction of tape width.
The first proposal has the disadvantage that a multichannel magnetic head is not only difficult to fabricate by machining but also expensive. The second approach which depends on moving a magnetic head in the direction of tape width suffers the problem that a magnetic head having at least two channels is required when recording by a serpentine recording technique or a read-after-write technique or performing recording over a large width and playback from a narrow width or vice versa (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,593), and this also results in difficulty of machining and high production cost.
In some audiotape recorders, the magnetic head is adapted to be reversible in orientation so as to achieve two-way recording and playback. However, none of the prior art audio tape recorders have a dual capability for reversing the magnetic head and moving it in the direction of tape width and the number of tracks on which information can be recorded and reproduced has been limited.